Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is speaking out amid one of the hottest debates in college basketball: players returning to the NCAA after signing professional contracts. The trend has gained attention recently, even though NCAA President Charlie Baker recently said that players with NBA contracts would not be eligible to compete in college.
The latest high-profile case comes from Alabama, where Charles Bediako, who signed three NBA contracts, was allowed to suit up after a judge granted him a temporary restraining order. Bediako is one of several players testing the boundaries of the pro-to-college pathway.
After Kentucky’s 85–80 win over Texas, Pope gave his candid take on the situation. “We’re all shaking our heads,” he said. “This is so incredibly creative. Every college program and coach is going to try to find an advantage—that’s what we’re paid to do.
Pope Suggests a Tournament-Based Solution
Instead of penalizing teams, Pope believes the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee could play a central role. “The NCAA does get to decide who gets to go to the NCAA Tournament,” he explained. “They might lose in court, but they still get to decide what games count toward your NCAA Tournament bid.”
Pope stressed that the goal isn’t punishment but restoring “sanity” to a confusing situation. “This game matters too much. The NCAA Tournament is too extraordinary. These players matter too much. College basketball matters too much. It’s just time to take a stand and bring a little bit of sanity to this deal.
As professional players continue to test the eligibility rules, Pope hopes that giving the Tournament Selection Committee more authority could help clarify the system. Ultimately, he emphasized, the focus should remain on the players, the integrity of the game, and the stakes of college basketball—not loopholes being exploited.
